CD Album: Hirokazu Matsuda’s ‘Sanshin-Zanmai’

Long known as a master utasaa (Okinawan folk musician), it’s hard to believe that the September 26, 2007 “Sanshin-Zanmai” (RES-126, 14 tracks), marks Hirokazu Matsuda’s (The Fere) first nationwide CD album release. Thanks to the awesome record label Respect Record (Seijin Noborikawa, Sadao China, Yoriko Ganeko, Takashi Hirayasu, Ryukyu Underground, Toru Yonaha), fans of Okinawan minyou (folk music) will have an easier option (the harder option being to import from Okinawa) to purchase his music. The CD album should be available for sale at all of our favorite online stores and if history repeats itself, at the iTunes Store too. 🙂

Update: OK. Something’s fishy with this album cover. It looks like the person who photoshopped the sanshin’s sou (neck) failed to notice that it’s been switched around. The nakajiru’s karakui should be facing Hirokazu and if you look on the sou, you’ll find finger positioning stickers which should also be facing him. Conspiracy? Collector’s album cover? The album doesn’t hit until September so maybe they’ll correct it by then. We’ll see.